There are several foods that really stick in my mind from my childhood and one of them was those flour tortillas my mom would buy in bulk from the ladies at church. The simple combination of flour and lard rendered a chewy and crispy tortilla that tasted better with each bite. Read more…
The Nicoise salad was conceived in Province France but is simply a combination of the available ingredients in the spring season. It’s as fresh as it gets and that is the really the whole point and only point of the Nicoise salad to begin with. Living in the northwest I like to see if I can sometimes make recipes using only ingredients that I have personally collected which is very much possible with this salad. Read more…
I don’t know how primal this preparation actually is but it sure seems primal when you are chowing down on these things. The turkey drumstick tends to cover the craving basics pretty well, tender salty juicy smoked meat, even just a little sweet and crispy. Spring is the time to dust off the BBQ so get it rolling if you haven’t done so already. This recipe is very simple but does take a little while of course because smoking meat is a slow process. Read more…
The incredible edible acorn. The Oak tree is one of the most wide spread trees in the world and the acorn was a staple of the human diet going back literally forever (human forever at least). It is seldom used anymore because other grains and nuts are easier to make into flours on a large scale. I think it’s a worthwhile project to collect acorns and process them into flour which it can be stored long term. The flour is sweet and earthy, a really interesting flavor. Read more…
There really is nothing like food gloriously suspended in gelatin animation. Grandiose jello mixtures seemed to be quite popular with my grandparents’ generation. To be honest, I was never a fan of these preparations to say the least. I have always liked contrasting flavors but not so much with the random ingredients peering at me from the inside of their jello world. Real gelatin however is such a great ingredient to include in the diet and we do often in our house. Read more…
Recipes that pair well with a cold glass of white wine on a hot day are a good category I would say. This is an arrangement of fresh ingredients and there are no melding of flavors with this summer style dish as you would commonly encounter with a winter stew or sauce that has been slow cooked. Each ingredient stands out completely on its own and is easily recognized individually as you take each bite. Thus the appeal of seasonal eating. Read more…
When the weather gets warm, I want fresh foods and I want crunchy foods. A light fish with a whole bunch of crunch fits the bill. The combination here is a little unique but it works and most seem to like random combinations of ingredients these days, so here you go. Read more…
I planted asparagus in my garden two years ago and this spring my patience paid off. I have gardened for my entire life but this is the first time I have eaten fresh asparagus from my own garden and it was well worthwhile. Asparagus has the distinction of being one of the few perennial vegetables grown on a regular basis, that is, those that can be harvested each year without replanting. Read more…
When you put just a few ingredients together in just the right way it is very satisfying and this is what I believe cooking is really all about. I also really get a kick out of shopping in my own yard for the ingredients. I have prepared dandelion greens many times and I prefer them smoothered in garlic, olive oil, salt and pepper. It makes for a great side to just about anything. Read more…
Spring has not quite started yet but fresh herbs are already showing up in my garden.This recipe is easy and versatile and the simple herb combination complements rather than overwhelms this wonderful fish. Read more…
by the handful 